Wonderful Hand-Carved Marble Drum Stool (?) with Variety of Flowers for the student Writing in the upper right

Writing in the upper right corner of first inside page

wish answers and symbols

It is constructed like a "crown on thorns" with interlocking pieces

It measures 5 1/2" across and 3 5/8" tall

Excellen vintage condition

Wonderful Hand-Carved Marble Drum Stool (?) with Variety of Flowers for the student Writing in the upper rightI really love this, but am not sure where it came from or exactly how it was intended to be used. The form, and the motifs circling top and bottom, suggest a Chinese marble "drum stool", traditionally used as as a resting spot in a Chinese garden, but this is about half the size of a stool one would sit on, and the carving of the flowers. especially, looks very much like folk art (and really very much like the school girl drawings of flowers I like so